The meeting itself could be the most important outcome of the event is what the Taiwanese are thinking as their leader, Ma Ying-jeou, met Chinese President Xi Jinping at a historic summit in Singapore and then the two shared the dinner bill at an Asian restaurant.
The warm landmark handshake appeared to be a positive gesture to roll back seven decades of distrust fuelled by diametrically opposite political systems. The meeting is historic, but it may do little to change the history of the mainland and the little island it considers a renegade province.
China’s gesture is being lauded on the mainland as another Xi step in his modern diplomatic offensive even as the Taiwanese people are airing their scepticism. Ma was the one who had actively pursued a rapprochement not thought of as possible after Mao Zedong founded the People’s Republic of China in 1949. But Ma’s KMT party chairman and nominee Eric Chu is thought unlikely to defeat Democratic Progressive party candidate Tsai Ingwen in the presidential election.
Two decades ago, China launched missiles to greet a presidential election in Taiwan, but now comes a peace offering, although with a warning from Mr Xi that he will not tolerate a declaration of independence by Taiwan. The point to note is China has put dialogue ahead of conflict. But then this could be to balance its offensive in the South China Sea.
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